Ok, you got visa for Australia. Once you arrive here in Australia, where you going to stay? Do you have relatives or friend to accommodate you for your early days? Hotel, shared accommodation, backpackers, motels, and Airbnb, there are other few options for short term accommodation. Where you can stay for short term and find suitable for you. 

For new migrants, housing could be the big headache in their early days in Australia. It’s not that easy to secure a rental house in Australia. A major portion of family income goes to housing and accommodation. It’s expensive and hard to find one in rent. In this post, we discuss the types of accommodation available in Australia, along with the rental charges and process of such accommodation. 

The housing market in Australia is highly competitive; there are few options you can choose from. If you are renting, be sure to have the proper documentation, or you could lose opportunity to rent your dream house. If you want to buy a property and live in. You must have permanent residency or citizenship or if you on temporary visa need to get approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board for home or property purchase.  

House in Australia

Major Australian capital cities are expensive, especially when it comes to housing. Nevertheless, there are a variety of houses available in the country, including free standing homes, apartments, townhouses, and so on. You can choose one depend on your requirements and budget.

If you book a short-term rental before going for a long-term lease. You could get time to check the rental market, suburb, and amenities you need. Before you sign any agreement to rent a house in Australia check its suitability with your need. If you have kids, are childcare, school there, what about the shopping malls and transport? Check those all-basic necessities you need every day.

If you plan to buy a house in this Commonwealth country, you need to have some savings and stable income. So, you could be eligible for bank loan if you have enough saving to outright a house there may not be a problem.  

Renting a unit or house in Australia

Renting unit or house to live in is not that easy task in Australia. Rental market is competitive and expensive too. There are many documentations, financials, and income tests happen before a real estate agent handover key to you. You need to pay bond, sign an agreement and pay rent always upfront. 

You first need to become familiar with Australia's 100-point check if you wonder how to rent houses or apartments there. The Australian Government has adopted this form of identification, which landlords use before renting out their properties.

There is a set number of points for each type of identification (driver's license, passport, previous tenancy agreement, utility account, etc.). Rental applications must have a minimum of 100 points.

What is the cost of renting in Australia?

The average rent in Australia during the first quarter of 2019 was 436 AUD per week (304 USD). In Australia's most affordable capital (Perth), you will need to pay a minimum rent of 385 AUD (269 USD) per week. In the following table, you can see an overview of the weekly rent prices in Australia's major cities.

Get a rental house in Australia as a foreigner

Expats can rent in Australia - they need to be prepared and do a bit more paperwork. Australian landlords might require references from previous real estate agent or landlord, but they may not be willing to contact your former tenants if they are all abroad. You need to give someone living in Australia. You can avoid this problem if you know what to do, so keep reading to learn how to rent a house.

What are the responsibilities of the Owner and Landlord?

Utility bills are the tenant's responsibility, the landlord for property taxes and unit service fees, and otherwise, it is the tenant's responsibility.

A swimming pool or garden will require some maintenance, which is usually included in the rent. It is the tenant's responsibility to maintain the home during their stay.

Landlords must ensure that essential services, including water and sewerage, are operating correctly. Whenever your landlord fails to perform the required repairs promptly, you can arrange to do the repairs yourself and then send the landlord the bill. Do not count it against your rent.

Early termination of a lease means the rent gets paid until the end of the lease period. Your agent or landlord may allow you to find someone to take over the remaining period and repay your bond (check with them).

An eviction order does not entitle you to be evicted. It is only possible to be evicted if there is a breach of contract (e.g. damage to property, failure to pay rent, etc.). You cannot be evicted by your landlord removing your belongings, changing the locks or cutting off your utilities. 

Rentals for a short period

As you search for something more permanent when you first arrive in Australia, temporary rentals are a good option. Hotels shared housing, and other quick housing options are available to ex-pats. The process of making a short-term rental booking should be more straightforward because there are usually fewer documents required.

Renting a private unit or house in Australia 

Most houses and flats are rented through real estate agents who act as landlords' agents. Private landlords can get rented directly. In the 'To let' and 'Vacant accommodation' sections of newspapers and online, rental properties are advertised. Additionally, you can visit real estate agents in person and ask to see their list of vacant rental properties. 

Tenant and landlord have a written contract called a 'lease' or 'residential tenancy agreement. You can usually negotiate the period before signing, but typically it will be for six or twelve months. 

When the lease period ends, you may have the option of renewing it. An agreement in writing implies the terms of the lease are agreed in advance, such as the rental cost, when the rent gets paid, who pays for utilities (e.g., gas, electricity, water), frequency of inspections, whether pets are allowed and the length of the lease. 

You should not sign a lease for longer than you can stay, as you will incur substantial costs if you leave before the end of the lease term.


Frequently Asked Questions 

1. In Australia, what kind of housing is there?

There are usually three or four bedrooms in a detached house; two or three bedrooms in a semi-detached house; and one or two bedrooms in a flat, unit, or apartment. There are far more three-bedroom houses in Australia than there are any other types of homes.

2. What is the cost of housing in Australia?

Due to an undersupply of supply relative to population-driven demand, Australian housing is likely to be more expensive than in many other countries with low or even lower interest rates. ... Investors and foreign markets do not account for much of the recent price increases.

3. What is the housing situation in Australia?

Australia's housing affordability is a severe problem. ... even though more than 105,000 people are homeless, crisis housing services turn away about half of all applicants for new housing, primarily due to a shortage of housing, while public housing stocks have declined.

4. Is Australia a cheap place to live?

For individuals who do not live in Sydney or Melbourne, a good starting point for a minimal lifestyle is $600 per week and add one-third for Sydney and Melbourne or about 10 per cent for the other major cities. 

5. In Australia, why is housing so expensive?

Record-low interest rates coupled with buyers' uncertainty about alternative investments fuel high demand. Together, these factors are causing many buyers to worry that they will miss out.

6. Is living in Australia cheaper than in the United States?

Living costs in Australia are 23.5% higher than in the The United States.

7. What's the cost of living in Australia and the UK?

There are generally lower costs in the UK to buy and rent a property than in Australia. Renting and owning a home in London is nearly 20% higher than in Sydney.